The Personal Dictionary is a template consisting of a table with three headings: "Term", "My Definition", and "Context/Circumstance In Which I Learned this Word". Students are provided this template (or encouraged to create their own: the more personal the better) in which they enter a term, phrase, idiom, or sentence at the time they hear or read it. They may ask the term’s spelling from another person. Students then ask for and enter a the term's meaning, doing so in their own words. Finally, students are encouraged to write a description of the context in which they read or heard the term. Of course, referring to a dictionary for a term’s “precise” meaning is still an important exercise; however, having a context in which a term is learned helps students to effectively understand a term’s meaning. Developing one’s own dictionary reflects a person’s individual experience with language and it is this that assures learning and retention.

To view a sample of the Personal Dictionary, please click on the link to the right under "Personal Dictionary " (if image appears sideways, click on the "Rotate Clockwise" icon in the menu bar of the pdf.file). To download a free version of Adobe (pdf.file) Reader, click here.